Biography

Ana Navas-Acien is a physician-epidemiologist with a specialty in Preventive Medicine and Public Health (Hospital La Paz, Madrid '01) and a PhD in Epidemiology (Johns Hopkins University '05). Her research investigates the long-term health effects of widespread environmental exposures (arsenic and other metals, tobacco smoke, e-cigarettes, air pollution), their interactions with genetic and epigenetic variants, and effective interventions for reducing involuntary environmental exposures. For more than 10 years she has been working on environment-related research in population-based cohort studies such as the Strong Heart Study, a study of cardiovascular disease and its risk factors in American Indian communities, and the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA), a study of cardiovascular, metabolic and lung disease in urban settings across the US. Both in the US and internationally, she conducts research to evaluate exposure to tobacco smoke including emerging public health challenges such as waterpipe smoking and e-cigarettes. Her research goals are to contribute to the reduction of environmental health disparities in underserved and disproportionately exposed populations.

Select Urban Health Activities

Chronic Health Effects of Arsenic and Other Metals in the Strong Heart Study: Native communities bear a disproportionate share of risk from environmental exposures. The Strong Heart Study (SHS) is an ongoing population-based cohort study of American Indian (AI) adults and their family members that emphasizes environmental health. Working in partnership with the SHS investigators and communities, we found that arsenic and cadmium exposures were related to increased cardiovascular disease (CVD) incidence and mortality, type 2 diabetes, and/or cancer mortality. Research is needed to understand mechanistic pathways and to identify effective interventions to eliminate environmental health disparities.

Gene-Environment Interactions and Environmental Epigenetics: We investigate the interaction of genetic markers in the development of chronic diseases with arsenic exposure and arsenic metabolism in American Indian communities. We are also evaluating the role of epigenetic modifications, in particular DNA methylation, as potential mediators of the health effects of metals. Our goal is to identify population-groups that are most susceptible to the health effects of arsenic and other environmental exposures.

Metals in the Trial to Assess Chelation Therapy 2 (TACT2M): The main objectives of TACT2M is to evaluate whether long-term chelation can reduce metal levels and to determine whether this reduction can explain the beneficial effect of chelation in cardiovascular disease. We selected lead and cadmium as key metals due to their widespread exposure and long-term accumulation in the body, and the solid epidemiological and mechanistic evidence supporting their role in cardiovascular disease development and progression.

Select Global Activities

SHELT (Secondhand Smoke Exposure and Legislation in Turkey), Turkey: We use a mixed-method approach in 12 cities, including observations (indoors and outdoors), particulate matter (PM2.5) assessment, and surveys with key informants to comprehensively evaluate compliance with the smoke-free law in Turkey. We aim to characterize and understand challenges in the implementation of the law. We work in partnership with Turkish investigators and are actively engaged in dissemination activities with the ultimate goal of protecting the population from exposure to secondhand smoke.

Waterpipe studies, World: Waterpipe cafes and waterpipe tobacco smoking (also called hookah, nargile, shisha) have been growing in popularity worldwide, particularly with young adults. We have conducted cross-sectional surveys of water pipe venues and their employees in Istanbul, Turkey, Moscow, Russia, and Cairo, Egypt to assess secondhand smoke exposure in these venues by measuring both environmental markers and biomarkers. Our study informs on waterpipe-related toxicant concentrations in real world settings and support policy interventions aiming to protect workers and customers from exposure to secondhand smoke.

Drinking water interventions, World: Effective interventions are urgently needed to mitigate arsenic exposure in families and communities relying on private wells for drinking water. The Strong Heart Study communities, especially in areas of North and South Dakota, face many difficulties to be connected to community drinking water systems. Through substantial community engagement, we are developing an intervention to evaluate the effectiveness of a multi-level participatory intervention to prevent arsenic exposure in rural communities.